Refrigeration apparatus



Feb. 15, 1944. R E KRUCK 2,341,924

REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Filed Nov. 28, 1942 Hu l4- I HQ 1 INVENTOR EALPH E Keuc BYg:

ATTOR Patented Feb. 15, 1944 r hairs n. ma. s g .-j Westinglroua c My invention relates to temperature-lust ing devices and particularly to readily accessible and manuallyoperable temperature-adjusting Electric ttsburg ap lication November, 1942. sees No. 481.111

r-cisim icLea-QIM a bianuiaoturing Gom- 11,. rat. a corporation or ably the standard type or pressure-operated temperature control having a temperature-responsive bulb is disposed adjacent .the evaporadevices which also indicate the temperature setting otairange or refrigerator, 'i'orexample.

' I- have-shown my invention applied to an adjustable ijerrigeratorcontrol, but it is to be un-, derstood "that it is not so limited. In many", cases where an adjustable temperaturecontrol I is required; it is desirable to use a small temperature-adjustin'g knob or handle because of space factors and appearance. A small knob'pr handle-ordinarily provides suflicient leverage for operatingthe temperature control. Howeven'lt is customary to provide indicia to indicate to the operator -the setting oithe temperature-control; either in degrees Fahrenheit, by number, vor by some other-legends such as cold," coldestl'etc.

Because of the smallness; of some, adjusting knobs andfhandl'esjandthe impracticability from a design or appearance standpoint or placing the indicia adjacent to the adiustingdevice,

it has been a problem to make the indicia clearly legiblefto the operator. 1

.It is, therefore, an object of my invention to 7 provide a small readily-accessible manually-ad! I justable temperature-control adjusting device in which the indicia associated therewith is'clearly legible to the operator.

This and other objects are eflected' by my invention as will be apparent fromthe following description and claim taken in accordance with the accompanying drawing, forming apart or this application, in which:

li'lg. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerate cabinet embodying-myinventlon;

Fi 2 is a partial sectional view :02; the rei'rig erator cabinet and control taken on line II'-lI oiFig.1;"and, Fig. 3v is a diagrammatic view of the control knob and indicia dial ot the control. I

- Referring specifically to the drawing for a evaporator i3.- The food-storage compartment t'or l3 and connected to the control mechanism by a conduit 2| extending through the upper wall or the inner shell l2. The control mechanism II is disposed in the insulation l1 between, the top walls oi! the inner and outer shells Ii I and II. In this type control, changes in temperatureoi. the bulb is cause opening and closing of a switchto energize or deenergize a motor for driving a compressor 01' the reirigeratlng system, in a manner-well known in the art.

In order to render the adjustment for the temperature control It readily accessible and provide legible indicia thereon, I provide a temperature control knob 22 which is positioned in ametal cup 23 inserted in the breaker strip Ii between the upper walls or the inner and outer shells. The cup 22, however, may be composed of any suitable material not necessarily metal.

The cup 22 maybe 0! the same material as the 1 breaker strip, and may also be an integral part of the breaker strips In this position, the knob 22 is readily accessible when the door it is open.

a A sleeve 24 is attached to the knob 22, and the sleeve and knob have registering openings in the center thereoi in which a magniiying lens 25 is inserted. The sleeve 24 extends through a hole in the base or the cup 23. and is provided with -a gear 26 at its inner end. A shaft 21 protrudes from the control l8 and rotation thereof eilects f temperature adjustment. A coacting gear 29 on indicia on its surface is fastened at its center to the shaft 21 engages with the gear 26 so that rotation otthe' control knob 22 rotates the shaft 21in a predetermined ratio.

As shown in Fig.3, a disc 28 having suitable theshait 21. As the shaft 21 is rotated by rotation of the knob'22, the indlcia appear in back .0! the magnifying lens 25 and may be readily observed by-the operator. Only one of the indetailed description of the invention, numeral Ill designates a refrigerator cabinet having an outer shell II and aninner shell or food liner I: dey fining a food-storage compartment cooled by an is provided with an access opening [4 which is closed by 'a-door l5. A breaker strip ii bridges the space between the inner and outer shells H a and I2 peripherally of the access opening it, Heat insulation (not shown) is disposed between the inner and outer shells, as shown in Fig.2.

dicia is visible at a time. If desired, the disc may be illuminated in any suitable manner.

From the roregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided a novel temperature control adjustment which fits into a small space, is

readily accessible, and has indicia associated therewith which are clearly legible to the user.

While I have shown .mylnven'tion in but one iorm, it will b e-obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without de- A manually adjustable temperature'control is shown atically at it and is preterparting from the spirit thereof. and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be armaments measures 1 j a placed thereupon as are epecincaliy set forth in 1 the appended claim.

What I claim is; In a refrigerator including a cabinet structure defining a food compartment having an acceas opening. door for closing aaid' compartment, t

and a breaker strip surrounding amid and against which aaiddoor closes, a bearing countersunk in said strip, a temperature-control member rotatable in, and extending inwardly through said bearing. said control member having a through centrally-disposed bore therein, a

magnifying lens in said bore. an indicating mechanism including a disc and relatively small indicia carried by said dine and adapted to indicate the setting of said control member, and means interconnecting said control member and said disc for rotating said disc upon rotation 01 said control member. said disc being oiiaet with respect.to said control member and being concealed by said strip, with (mIy one 01 said indicia 10 visible through aid 1cm atanr one time.

arm it. moon. 

